Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: How does A Hand Up collect goods?
2. Question: What items does A Hand Up collect?
3. Question: How do I donate goods to A Hand Up?
4. Question: How does the program distribute goods?
5. Question: Who supports A Hand Up financially?
6. Question: How many people are homeless every night in Hartford?
7. Question: What is the demographic breakdown of the homeless in Hartford?
8. Question: Isn’t supportive housing available to people trying to get independent housing?
9. Question: With assistance through section 8 housing, isn’t it a lot easier people moving out of homelessness to make a living?
10. Question: What are the main reason people become homeless?
11. Question: How can I help?
12. Question: What do you use financial contributions for?
1. Question: How does A Hand Up collect goods?
Answer: A Hand Up collects furniture and household goods in good conditions. Volunteers search for and collect items from our list of needed items. The items are either stored at the volunteer’s place or arrangements can be made to deliver them or have them picked up.
2. Question: What items does A Hand Up collect?
Answer: A Hand Up collects furniture, linens and kitchenware. Specific items we need can be found on our wish list.
3. Question: How do I donate goods to A Hand Up?
Answer: If you would like to donate items to A Hand Up please call (860) 424-2980 Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If you plan to bring the donations to us, you can make an appointment over the phone. If you would like to have your donation picked up, we will make an appointment with you to pick it up.
4. Question: How does the program distribute goods?
Answer: All of the items collected by A Hand Up are provided directly to clients in need, free of charge. A Hand Up works with a number of social agencies to identify families and their specific needs. Volunteers deliver furniture and other household goods directly to client homes. None of the goods collected are resold.
5. Question: Who supports A Hand Up financially?
Answer: All of A Hand Up’s financial support comes from private donations.
6. Question: How many people are homeless every night in Hartford?
Answer: In Hartford nearly 1,500 people are homeless every night. 64% of them have some kind of income.
7. Question: What is the demographic breakdown of the homeless in Hartford?
Answer: The demographic breakdown of the homeless in Hartford is:
- 40% white
- 30% black
- 30% Hispanic
- 1/3 female, 2/3 male
- 10% children
- 7% veterans
- Average age 37
8. Question: Isn’t supportive housing available to people trying to get independent housing?
Answer: Currently about 2,700 families are on the waiting list for government supported (Section 8) housing vouchers, even though the list has not accepted new applicants since 2001.
Answer: A renter must earn $16.79 an hour to afford the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Hartford metro area. About 28,500 people in the Hartford metro area cannot afford the rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the region.
10. Question: What are the main reason people become homeless?
Answer: Health problems and inadequate income are the main reasons people become homeless.
Answer: There are many ways to help.
- You can volunteer to help collect and deliver household goods and furnishings to one of our clients
- If you have a truck you can volunteer to drive and pick-up and deliver items to our clients
- You can adopt a family’s list of items and collect the needed items
- You can make a financial contribution
12. Question: What do you use financial contributions for?
Answer: A Hand Up, Inc. is entirely volunteer run. We do have expenses that need to be covered like rental fees for our storage unit, office supplies and government filing fees and insurance fees.